IFT Celebrates Section Impact Award Winners for Volunteering Excellence in Food Science Community

CHICAGO – October 14, 2026 – The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific organization committed to advancing the science of food and its application across the global food system, recently recognized four IFT Sections with its IFT Section Impact Award. The IFT Section Impact Award honors local IFT Sections for outstanding contributions in specific areas of food science community engagement, education, and outreach. This year’s winners were recognized at IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo, the leading food science and innovation expo held in July in Chicago. Each winning Section receives a monetary prize to support continued local programming.

IFT Sections allow food science professionals to network with their local peers through a variety of events and opportunities, including Suppliers’ Nights. IFT has 46 Sections spread across the U.S., as well as Mexico, Japan, England, and Canada.

“This year’s award-winning programs demonstrate the creativity, collaboration, and dedication of IFT Sections in advancing the profession and creating meaningful experiences for members at every stage of their careers,” said Tony Smith, IFT Senior Director of Membership Strategy, Transformation, and Growth.

An award was presented to each Section in the following categories:

• Outstanding Scholarship Program
• Establishment or Re-establishment of an Event with Noticeable Growth
• Membership Growth and Retention

Here is a summary of each winner:

Outstanding Scholarship Program

Winner: Southeastern Section
Initiative: “Student Engagement and Scholarship Initiative”

The Southeastern Section expanded support for students across five universities through increased competition opportunities, industry collaboration, and enhanced scholarship offerings. Programs such as the 3-Minute Thesis Competition and Product Development Competition helped students develop communication, innovation, and leadership skills while preparing them for future careers in food science.

“Receiving the Impact Award for Outstanding Student Engagement and Scholarship Initiative this year was a proud moment for our entire Section,” said Southeastern Section President Ogechukwu Tasie. “We were thrilled to receive this award and be recognized as a section—and this award belongs to every member. This award was made possible by the hard work of our board members, who volunteer their time to make it happen. Their time, creativity, mentorship, and dedication make these initiatives possible.”

Tasie notes that a key component has been consistently running student competitions that engage participants from five universities: Alabama A&M University, Auburn University, Clemson University, Tuskegee University, and the University of Georgia. The competitions include the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition for undergraduate and graduate students and the Product Development Competition. Awards such as the Excellence in Leadership and Achievement Award also recognize students and highlight outstanding contributions and leadership in food science.

“For me, this recognition represents more than an award—it affirms our collective commitment to investing in students and helping prepare the next generation of food scientists and food industry professionals,” Tasie added. “Our Student Engagement and Scholarship Initiative is rooted in the belief that students should have opportunities to learn, compete, network, develop leadership skills, and build meaningful relationships with food industry professionals. Seeing IFT recognize these efforts is especially rewarding because the impact is ultimately about the students and the opportunities we help create for them.

“Looking ahead, we want to build on this momentum. Our goal is to keep expanding opportunities for students to engage with professionals, develop leadership and communication skills, compete for scholarships, and see themselves as future leaders in the science of food. By combining competitions, recognition, financial support, and industry collaboration, the Southeastern IFT Section is actively nurturing the next generation of food scientists,” Tasie concluded.

Establishment or Re-establishment of an Event with Noticeable Growth

Winner: British Columbia Section
Initiative: “From Idea to Shelf”

The British Columbia Section launched a cross-functional learning series that provides students, early-career professionals, and industry members with practical insights into the food product development process. By highlighting collaboration across R&D, operations, procurement, commercial strategy, and food safety, the initiative strengthened academic and industry engagement while providing participants with a real-world understanding of moving products from concept to commercialization.

“Being part of the team behind ‘From Idea to Shelf’ makes this recognition especially meaningful. The award reflects the time and effort our volunteers put into creating opportunities for the local food community to learn and connect,” said Anubhooti Joshi, IFT British Columbia Section Co-Chair. “What makes BCFT special to me is the willingness of people to share their knowledge and support one another. Creating space for those conversations is something I’m proud to contribute to, and I look forward to building on that through future events.”

Membership Growth and Retention

Co-Winner: British Section
Initiative: “Connect Sessions”

The British Section enhanced member engagement through small, informal virtual discussions designed to create meaningful connections between members and leadership. These sessions provided opportunities for members to share feedback, influence future programming, and participate in conversations that support the needs of the food science community. Through flexible quarterly scheduling and structured feedback collection, the initiative has helped shape webinars and expand participation across Europe.

“We are very proud to have been recognized with a Section Impact Award for our Connect Sessions. These were introduced as a way of connecting with and understanding the needs of a greater proportion of our section members. These short informal online sessions held at different times of day enable people to drop in to share their thoughts and ideas for future events and focus for the section. Each quarter, we hold three sessions – one first thing in the morning, one at lunchtime, and one at the end of day, across different weekdays – to cater for people’s schedules. Longstanding IFT members who weren’t previously involved with the section have attended, early career industry scientists, PhD students, and more,” said IFT British Section Chair Rhianna Gamble.

Gamble continued: “The sessions have enabled us to welcome members from all over the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe, and have been extremely positive. Feedback from participants has highlighted the value of the sessions in fostering a sense of connection and belonging within their professional community. The initiative has deepened engagement across our membership and attracted a cohort of new committee members determined to enhance the scientific link between the USA and the UK and Europe.”

Earlier this year, the British Section welcomed then IFT President Peggy Poole, PhD, to deliver the annual Binsted Lecture in honor of the Section’s founder), Raymond Binsted. The event is held jointly with the UK’s Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST), the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and Campden BRI. Another highlight for Gamble and the British Section was the IFT Section Leadership Conference, which was held in March 2026 in Chicago.

“I’m grateful to IFT for organizing such a thought-provoking agenda and providing such wonderful opportunities to connect with other sections, share challenges and ideas. It was inspiring,” she concluded.

Co-Winner: Ozark Section
Initiative: “Member Connect”

The Ozark Section strengthened member engagement by expanding leadership opportunities, improving communications, and creating new ways for members at all career stages to get involved. Through enhanced social media outreach, volunteer recognition, and engaging events, including a speaker series, Kimchi-Beverage Pairing Showcase, and Student Research Competition, the section increased participation and strengthened connections among members.

“Receiving the IFT Section Impact Award for Membership Growth and Retention is a tremendous honor for the Ozark Section and a special recognition of what our members accomplished together during the 2025-2026 term. As Section President, I was especially proud to see so many members step forward to lead, volunteer, participate, and bring new ideas and energies to our Section,” said Ozark Section President Han-Seok Seo from the University of Arkansas. “Growing our membership by 40% and expanding our leadership team members by 110% in just nine months was exciting, but what means even more to me is the stronger sense of connection, engagement, and shared ownership that developed within our community. This award reflects the collective effort of our leadership team, members, and volunteers.”

The IFT Section Leadership Conference was a highlight for Seo and the Ozark Section, as well.

“We gained many practical ideas and were inspired by the conference instructors and fellow Section leaders,” Seo continued. “That experience further motivated us to strengthen our volunteer efforts and build even more momentum within the Ozark Section.”

Over the last year, the Ozark Section has expanded its leadership team, launched its first Section newsletter and new social media platforms, established the IFT Ozark Connect - Stories That Inspire series, and introduced the OIFT Outstanding Volunteer Award to recognize members who give their time and talents to the Section. The Ozark Section also held a two-hour event in Northwest Arkansas with IFT members from surrounding states driving several hours after work to attend.

Added Seo: “To me, that showed the value people saw in the opportunities we were creating to connect and learn from one another. Our goal has never been simply to increase membership numbers, but to build a sustainable Section where members want to participate, contribute, volunteer, connect with others, and grow professionally. As we look ahead, the Ozark Section will continue thinking about how we can create an even better platform and environment where our members feel welcomed, supported, and excited to be involved.”  

To learn more about joining an IFT Section, go to Local Sections.

To become a member of IFT and gain access to numerous networking opportunities and educational resources, go to Become a Member.

About Institute of Food Technologists

Since 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has served as the voice of the global food science community. IFT advocates for science, technology, and research to address the world’s greatest food challenges, guiding our community of more than 200,000. IFT convenes professionals from around the world – from producers and product developers to innovators and researchers across food, nutrition, and public health – with a shared mission to help create a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. IFT provides its growing community spanning academia, industry, and government with the resources, connections, and opportunities necessary to stay ahead of a rapidly evolving food system as IFT helps feed the minds that feed the world. For more information, please visit ift.org.